Toronto’s Yorkville Village shopping centre is continuing with renovations and this month, opened a food hall on its lower level. So far five tenants have opened in the new space, and more will follow as construction continues.

The food hall is located adjacent to the mall’s ‘Oval Square’ – an atrium area providing natural light to the mall below. This fall, a new Yorkville Avenue mall entrance will direct shoppers into the new food hall, drawing traffic to the mall, while adding an attraction to the neighbourhood.

]]>LCBO launches website to sell beer, wine and spirits online, with delivery to homes and storeshttp://interstratics.com/interstratics-home/2016/7/29/lcbo-launches-website-to-sell-beer-wine-and-spirits-online-w.htmlAdmin2016-07-29T16:06:06Z2016-07-29T16:06:06ZThe Liquor Control Board of Ontario is launching an online site where people can purchase nearly 5,000 products and have them shipped to their home or a local LCBO store.

Sousa says the endless “virtual shelf space” will give people a huge selection of beer, wine and spirits right at their fingertips.

Purchases would be delivered to a local LCBO store for free or to a customer’s home through Canada Post for a fee.

Sousa says wines from British Columbia and Quebec will also be available at LCBO.com thanks to an agreement reached last week by the premiers of the three provinces.

The LCBO says 800 of the products available online will be exclusive to LCBO.com and will not be available in any of their retail outlets.

]]>Loblaw verifying accuracy of its coin-counting machines after TD Bank ditches theirs over errorshttp://interstratics.com/interstratics-home/2016/7/29/loblaw-verifying-accuracy-of-its-coin-counting-machines-afte.htmlAdmin2016-07-29T16:02:26Z2016-07-29T16:02:26ZCanada’s largest grocery chain says it’s trying to verify the accuracy of the coin-counting kiosks in its stores after TD Bank got rid of similar machines from its branches over allegations that they’ve been nickel-and-diming customers.

“We are aware of the concerns recently raised about coin-counting machines,” Kevin Groh, the vice-president of corporate affairs and communication for Loblaw, said in an email.

“We have been working with Coinstar to confirm the accuracy of the coin-counting machines located in our stores and have no current plans to remove the machines. Should customers have a concern with any of the coin-counting machines in one of our stores, please contact our customer service team to let us know.”

]]>Tim Hortons plans expansion into Southeast Asia starting with the Philippineshttp://interstratics.com/interstratics-home/2016/7/29/tim-hortons-plans-expansion-into-southeast-asia-starting-wit-1.htmlAdmin2016-07-29T15:56:00Z2016-07-29T15:56:00ZRestaurant Brands International, the multinational owner and operator of Tim Hortons and Burger King, said Thursday it has partnered with a group of investors to establish a master franchise joint venture company to sell the fast-food chain’s coffee and doughnuts in the Southeast Asian country.

RBI chose the Philippines for its first stop in Southeast Asia because the country has a strong economy and a fast-growing quick-service market, said CEO Daniel Schwartz.

Kobza hinted Tim Hortons would aim to match the level of some of its rivals in the local market — many of which boast hundreds of restaurants in the country, he said.

The stores will serve many of the same staples as Canadian locations, like Timbits and iced capps, as well as some surprises, he added.

The Mexican chain revealed on Tuesday that it's going "all-in" this fall and opening a flagship restaurant in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip.

The two-story, 24-hour Taco Bell Cantina will take inspiration from Vegas in its design and decor and will serve alcohol, including beer and "Twisted Freezes" — frozen beverages with either vodka, rum or tequila.

Tapas-style menu items exclusive to Taco Bell's Cantina restaurants will also be served.

Taco Bell introduced four new store designs back in May in hopes of attracting diners to a sleeker, more modernized dining experience. While the Mexican chain has steady lunchtime traffic, the brand has branched out to stake its claim in the breakfast and midnight snack categories. However, Taco Bell has yet to make its mark on dinnertime.

Taco Bell's new Las Vegas location appears to be designed to attract diners to stay, as it features community seating and an outdoor patio in addition to the serving of alcohol.

]]>Canadian Tire replaces president and CEO, restores predecessor in sudden shakeuphttp://interstratics.com/interstratics-home/2016/7/29/canadian-tire-replaces-president-and-ceo-restores-predecesso.htmlAdmin2016-07-29T15:01:52Z2016-07-29T15:01:52ZCanadian Tire has dropped CEO Michael Medline, who had been in the role since 2014, and returned Stephen Wetmore to the post.

In a surprise move, the head of one of Canada's biggest retailers, Canadian Tire, is leaving the top job after less than two years.

Canadian Tire Corp. announced Wednesday that president and CEO Michael Medline is being replaced by his predecessor, Stephen Wetmore. The shakeup is effective immediately.

The newly-reinstated Wetmore will step down as deputy chairman of the board, but will stay on as a director at the company.

"The board of directors has given me a clear mandate to take our iconic brand to the next level," he said in a statement, adding that the retailer needs to continue to "rapidly evolve" to meet customers' and shareholders' expectations.

]]>Cadillac Fairview Partners with WE Charity for 1st Retail Storehttp://interstratics.com/interstratics-home/2016/7/29/cadillac-fairview-partners-with-we-charity-for-1st-retail-st.htmlAdmin2016-07-29T13:58:46Z2016-07-29T13:58:46ZCadillac Fairview has partnered with youth charity ME to WE and as part of the initiative, the landlord has provided charity with a donated retail space at CF Toronto Eaton Centre -- North America’s busiest shopping mall. The new WE store opened to the public on July 28.

The 500 square foot WE boutique is located on the mall’s second level, next to the busy Dundas TTC subway station entrance. The store features a variety of innovative ME to WE products that “empower people to change the world with their everyday consumer choices”. Every ME to WE product provides life-changing gifts to children or families in WE Charity partner communities, from school supplies to scholarships to health care to alternative income opportunities.

- Transaction unanimously approved by both companies' Boards of Directors - Agreement is based on compelling strategic rationale for both companies - Lowe's pledges important commitments to RONA's key Canadian stakeholders - Lowe's to locate its Canadian head office in Boucherville, Quebec; Canadian operations to be headed by Sylvain Prud'homme, President of Lowe's Canada - Acquisition accelerates Lowe's growth strategy in Canada

MOORESVILLE, N.C. and BOUCHERVILLE, Quebec, Feb. 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Lowe's Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW) ("Lowe's" or the "Company") and RONA inc. (TSX: RON, RON.PR.A) ("RONA") announced today that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Lowe's is expected to acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of RONA for C$24 per share in cash, and all of the issued and outstanding preferred shares of RONA for C$20 per share in cash. The total transaction value is C$3.2 billion (US$2.3 billion) (the "Transaction"). The offer represents a premium of 104 percent to RONA's closing common share price on February 2, 2016 and a 38 percent premium to RONA's 52-week high of C$17.36. Together, Lowe's Canada and RONA stores will create Canada's leading home improvement retailer with 2015 pro forma revenues from Canadian operations of approximately C$5.6 billion. Excluding transaction and integration costs, we anticipate the Transaction will be accretive to Lowe's earnings in the first year following the close of the acquisition.

]]>RioCan REIT snaps up Kimco’s Canadian propertieshttp://interstratics.com/interstratics-home/2015/9/28/riocan-reit-snaps-up-kimcos-canadian-properties.htmlAdmin2015-09-28T17:42:05Z2015-09-28T17:42:05ZThe deal breaks down as RioCan (REI.UN-T) seizing on the opportunity to buy a big block of assets while U.S.-based Kimco (KIM-N) is likely looking at current highs as a good point to exit Canada.

“It is an exceptionally rare opportunity to acquire a selection of properties from a portfolio of this scale that can be easily absorbed by the Trust,” RioCan CEO Edward Sonshine said in a statement. “This acquisition improves RioCan’s Canadian portfolio by increasing the concentration of the trust’s portfolio located in Canada’s six largest markets, most notably in the Greater Toronto Area.”